Has anyone else had night chills while going through menopause? I have had several spells of bad chills in the middle of the night with severe shivering. Which is weird because I am always warmer than everyone else. I just thought it was too cold in the room and I bought a thermal blanket. They stopped for awhile. But I had a really bad spell last night. I also had bad muscle and joint aching. So I did a google search and apparently the chills and aches can be part of menopause. Except that in menopause the chills usually follow a hot flash. I don't have hot flashes. And I wake up 2 hours after the chills and feel too warm. Not a hot flash but just warm.

But these chills can also be associated with autoimmune. Great. So now how do I tell whether I am having a flare or menopause? It felt like my tendintis had returned but with an extra achiness. I finally took an alleve and feel somewhat better.

And of course thyroid problems can cause night chills. But I just had my thyroid test in November and it was 'normal'.

During menopause, I had mild chill and then terrible hot flash with sweating. The sweating could be mild to dripping, so have you noticed sweating after the chill? Some people get the sweat but don't feel the heat. The chill part was very mild and I would sleep through that but not the hot/sweat. I only noticed the chill during the day.

When I over do and before I had good treatment, I would wake up in the middle of the night with terrible joint pain. It would only be the joints that I over did--like my ankles.

I'm experiencing the night chills and then heat right now. I know for sure it isn't menopause because I've had a total hysterectomy. I'm going through a particularly stubborn flare right now that just won't quit. (seeing rheumy next week) I'm pretty sure that's where my chills and hot flashes are. I get the hot flashes but no sweats.

I had already gone through menopause before I had my hysterectomy and from what you describe, I'd bet it was from inflammation. If it was menopause you'd feel on fire and then break out into a drenching sweat. People at work could literally see the red heat run all up my neck and face. (lot of fun that was, I can tell you) I also agree with Anna about the chill part of menopause being very mild. I mostly remember the feeling of being stuck in a sauna.

I think you should definitely talk to your doctor. It is just a matter of a blood test and it will tell whether you are beginning Peri menopause or full blown menopause.

Anna and Ann, thanks for your replies. They were very helpful. I do need to find a gyno and have my blood tested to see where I am at with the hormone stuff. I've been using my primary for pap stuff, but I probably need to go to a gyno for menopause stuff. My periods are getting closer together and lighter. Sometimes as short as 21 days. I think the usual thing is to get closer together and heavier or further apart and lighter. So I am curious why mine are like they are.

It was helpful to hear that your menopause chills were mild. So I think I was having a flare. It went away after 4 or 5 days. But my hands and fingers and toe joints were hurting along with most of my other joints. I had lifted a heavy wooden gate right before this started, but it seems strange if that would have overworked all of my joints. I am still having some trouble with the attachments at my collarbone and shoulder, but that might be my hypermobility. It is hard for me to tell the difference. Just feels like tendonitis and I don't know whether the cause is inflammation from the joint moving too much or just inflammation.

I agree with the posts about inflammation -- I am supposedly nowhere near menopause yet, but I have been having chills during the night for years and years. The episodes are so bad that the bed can shake, my teeth chatter so loudly my husband wakes up, and I will have to put three or four blankets on my side of the bed. Yet I am the one who is otherwise boiling HOT HOT HOT the rest of the time! I also will be bright red, so bad everybody who sees me thinks I need to go to the hospital... when I explain it is my fever and arthritis, NO ONE gets it.

But for the folks here! My AS was out of control for years, due to not being diagnosed, then a )(*^%&^%*(&( rheum. who wouldn't listen because I "looked" okay, etc. (The usual story.) If you are feeling like tendinitis is an issue, enthesitis might also be occurring and worth checking out. The AS can cause this, and to just look at someone would not give others any clue about how very inflamed their body might be...

I am experiencing cold chills - I suffered with hot flashes for a long time but now it has reversed. I don't know what to make of this. I get servere chills sometimes whereas I have to have a comforter over me and still cold, with shivers.

I have the night chills on occasion too. Last Friday night it was around 65 outside and I was in a sweatshirt ,pjs and socks and wrapped in 3 blankets trying to get warm. I don't know if I had a fever, I just felt to cold to get out of bed and hunt the thermometer. My hubby says I go through the night either feeling very, very hot or my skin is so cold he thinks I am dead.